Harry Potter and the Temptations of Independence
by Alan Wilks
Summary: Harry’s views begin to change as he undergoes his magical maturation and also begins his discovery of the Old Ways. Whilst at odds with Dumbledore, Harry must come to terms with his role in the rising war but will he find balance in the dangerous magic...
1. Intervention of the Aged

Harry Potter and the Temptations of Independence

Author's Note: Please read bottom AN; this _is_ a deviation from my other fic, using my ideas for that previous story for this one which I think is a lot better. Review please also, would really appreciate it...

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Chapter One: Intervention of the Aged

Evening was fast approaching Surrey, England. For Harry Potter, the teenage wizard, every day remained the same. Without Sirius Harry felt his life falling apart at the seams and slowly, he was learning not to care. On top of that, he had the prophecy that was dictating his destiny weighing heavily upon his clouded mind.

For a week without venturing outside, Harry had locked himself in his room on Privet Drive and fell into a numb state of mind. The only things to spark his passion were his anger and bitterness directed at Dumbledore, Voldemort, Snape, Bellatrix and the wizarding world in general. In their own ways, they had all contributed to his crap life and he was so angry he would cry himself to sleep with furiously helpless tears.

During his week of solitude, Harry had neither written to the Order as he was instructed or opened the pile of letters brought by Hedwig from his friends. As he expected, no Order members brandishing wands had stormed the house to ensure his safety; he was protected from Voldemort on Privet Drive, his happiness came secondary.

With a weary sigh, Harry pulled himself up from his dilapidated cot and made his way to his bedroom door. His stomach was making sounds painful to the ear and he decided it was time he ate. Making his way over to the door, his eyes were assaulted by a stray beam of excruciatingly bright light from a gap in his curtains; another summer of hot, dry weather it seemed.

When he arrived in the kitchen, he was greeted by three pairs of accusing glares; his relatives were eating dinner in a shameless manner. Harry, head bowed, walked slowly over to the cupboard and retrieved a red apple to sate his hunger.

"And just what, exactly, are you up to Boy?" asked his Uncle, his moustache quivering slightly as an unhealthy red tainted his swollen cheeks.

"Nothing," he replied meekly, his eyes not lifting from the tiled floor of the kitchen.

"Well then, since your doing _nothing_, the garden needs tending to and the pathway needs hosing down whilst your at it too Boy."

Vernon carried on muttering about 'trouble' and 'that Boy' as he returned to his plate. That was, until he heard Harry's soft spoken refusal.

"What did you say Boy?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous.

"I said, I am not doing any of your work, do it yourself if you want it done… you could use the exercise," he finished, in a tone only slightly quieter as his rebellious nature sparked to ignition.

"_Why_, you… get out! Don't come back until you are prepared to work for our generosity!" he bellowed, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

"Gladly," Harry muttered before leaving the kitchen and slamming the front door behind him. In truth, Harry wasn't sure why he had refused his Uncle. It seemed that Harry's spirit wasn't yet entirely depleted.

Harry's feet led him subconsciously to the park where his cousin Dudley often terrorised the local children. He found the swings that were surrounded by longish parched grass and enjoyed the rocking motion of the swing whilst his mind wandered over the prophecy and his deceased godfather. His thoughts turned to the Order members that he was sure Dumbledore had watching over him during his moments of solitude and how uncomfortable he was with it, but his mind quickly dismissed them; he wasn't in any mood for company and they were low to reveal themselves, though it seemed that his wish was not to come to fruition.

Harry startled as the swing beside him creaked under the pressure of an occupant. Looking up with fearful attentiveness, Harry found himself staring into two clear blue eyes. His mind allowed him to determine the man was definitely a wizard as he was clad in a light blue robe and his auburn hair which fell about his shoulders in a distinguished manner was obscured slightly by a full blown wizard's hat. The man looked to be in his late fifties and was rather well built in an average fashion, and his face held the kindness of age. His eyes though, his eyes were what threw Harry off as they showed age far beyond the man's appearance.

"Who are you?" Harry asked briskly, his hand cautiously resting on the wand hilt tucked under his belt.

"Ah, Harry. I am sure you know of me, my name is Nicholas Flammel," countered the stranger in slow tones that were soothing to the ear.

"What..?" Harry asked, his voice unsure as he stared incredulously at the man claiming to be the Great Nicholas Flammel.

"I assure you Harry, it is I." And his manner was so reassuring that Harry was compelled to believe him.

"But… the stone; Dumbledore said that…" his voice trailing off uncertainly.

"Ah… Albus; how so many things lead back to him these days, eh? Yes, he may have alluded to my death after you destroyed my stone, though I have some life left in me yet."

"I'm sorry about that…"

"Don't trouble yourself about it Harry, immortality was but my fear of the unknown. I am glad to say that I am ready for my death, whenever it may come."

"What about the Order members watching me, and the muggles, you're not exactly in disguise?"

"Ah, that. It seems that your guard has fallen asleep on the job, thus not enabling him to bear witness to our meeting." His eyes twinkled in a Dumbledore-ish manner as he said this. "As for the muggles, they only notice what they are prepared to notice, and fortunately for us, that's not much." Here Harry detected some Old-magical pride in his voice, though he was prepared to dismiss the man's tone as he was born many hundreds of years ago after all, and attitudes borne that long change hard.

"So then, why _are_ you here?" asked Harry, voicing the question he had been itching to ask.

"Yes, that. Well young Harry, I am here to offer you a future. For many years I have followed your adventures through Hogwarts and your encounters with the Dark Lord. I want you to have a chance at a future of your own choosing Harry and I have put off death to offer you an apprenticeship."

Harry was stunned beyond belief; one of the most influential and powerful wizards since the Hogwarts' Founders was offering to teach Harry personally.

"What do you mean, put off death?" he asked, his mind registering Flammel's cryptic comment.

"Well Harry, my wife has, since the stone's demise, refused elixir and subsequently, she passed away a few weeks ago. I have chosen to stay here to give you a chance at a future, a last act of compassion for this world if you will. I may not know the contents of the prophecy that concerns you and the Dark Lord, but I have enough wisdom in these bones to know you will have to face him some day, and by Merlin, I want you to come out of it alive."

"But, what about having to stay here and the Order and Dumbledore; and Hogwarts?"

"That can all be taken care of Harry; if you come with me I will train you in the magical arts. You will leave here and reside at my home and we will ensure that Dumbledore does not know of my assistance in your future or your location. Hogwarts remains your decision as it depends on whether or not you want to return. Do you want to become my apprentice Harry?" giving Harry a few moments thoughts as he rocked on the swing pensively.

"Yeah I do, I guess this is just so sudden though," he responded, arriving at his decision.

"Don't worry Harry, if you want to learn how to fight to ensure you have a future worth living then I acknowledge that Dumbledore will only smother you. You need to learn and learn without prejudice; I can help you in this endeavour."

"Yeah, I want to be able to avenge my parents, Sirius, Cedric and I want to be able to have a life of my own…"

"That is good Harry. I have admired your spirit for many years and I am looking forward to our apprenticeship… and our friendship?"

"I can't wait," he said with a friendly hint of sarcasm to which Flammel chuckled lightly.

(Cut)

Managing to keep his footing, Harry recovered from the disorientation of portkey travel and took the time to look around him. He had taken a giant leap in trust by accepting Nicholas' offer and taking the unknown portkey from the man. He was now in Nicholas' estates that he was assured were under many powerful warding charms.

As far as the eye could see, fields stretched all around providing a beautiful landscape. Small wooden fences could be distinguished as they divided the land into segments though no sign of a settlement could be found. From what Nicholas had briefly told him, these lands were protected with some of the most powerful and effective wards known to wizard kind (applied over the years by Flammel and his wife) and they were near impossible to trace.

"Nicholas Flammel resides in Willow-Wight Cottage," sounded Nicholas' smooth voice with perfect diction.

Harry turned around to face Nicholas with a small amount of confusion before following his new tutor's gaze and finding a small cottage had appeared complete with a well kept garden.

"Fidelius?" he asked, not needing confirmation.

"Well, shall we move on…?"

As the approached the cottage, Flammel continued to gesture widely with his arms as he provided Harry with a fraction of the land's history.

"You see Harry; this land was once the property of my grandfather many of hundreds of years ago, before it was taken by a faction of wizarding warlords. My Grandfather was of the aristocracy in the wizarding world and was in power as a Lord. His lands were seized by a warlord named McCrath through much fighting and bloodshed; in fact there is a forest to the east of here towards the border of the estate where a particularly bloody battle once raged, a forest founded in blood you might say. It was not until near 427 years ago that I reclaimed these hills, though I did it through political procedures and the exchange of monies rather than forceful conquest.," his lip curling slightly at this as Harry listened in rapture to Flammel's ramblings. "As you will notice, the weather here is rather forcibly pleasant? Well, that is due to the spell-work on this estate because I control the weather we experience here though it is a dangerous business, yet rewarding in many ways. When you learn about wards, you will understand the connection established between the ward and the caster and through this connection, I must ensure balance in the weather in my lands. It is a notoriously confusing business, yet beneficial when the land is needed and oh so helpful when the weather complies with the wish. That is just to let you know, your days here will not always be sunshine and heat," to which Harry nodded, fascinated and wanting to learn more about this humble control Flammel admitted to having over the _weather_! He was already learning more from Flammel in a short few hours than Dumbledore ever really cared to teach him.

Harry was taken inside the cosy looking cottage and given a tour. Harry was surprised that the humble looking cottage was a façade to a larger home within; magically expanded to fit Nicholas' needs. There was a moderate kitchen to the end of the property and a comfortable living room to the left. To the right was a plain pine doorway which led into a huge room. The room was nearly as big as the Great Hall at Hogwarts though not nearly as spacious. Shelves lined the walls of the Flammel library and bookcases created a maze within the walkway of the room; Harry had never seen so many books, not even in the Hogwarts library.

"This Harry is my greatest joy. Century's worth of knowledge that I have collected and stored here to be called upon by myself and the next generations. As my apprentice, this shall all be yours one day and I hope that you bequeath it onto an equally worthy pupil." This threw Harry off a little, but he accepted it and felt himself warm up to the grandfatherly figure Nicholas was shaping up to be.

Upstairs, even though from outside appearance the property had no upper floor, Harry was shown the master bedroom (Nicholas', though he was given no inside tour), a bathroom and the guest bedroom which was to be his new lodgings. Nicholas granted him freedom to decorate the room as his own and to personalise in any way he liked which was a new frontier for Harry.

Since evening had now fully descended, the two wizards seated themselves in the living room in worn yet comfortable chairs whilst a merry fire crackled in the hearth.

"So, Harry, I assume you are bursting with questions? Ask away…"

"Well, how is this all going to work? I mean, I have come here for an apprenticeship which aside from teaching me, I really don't know what it entails. I want to know what rules there are and what we are going to tell Dumbledore."

Nicholas gave a hearty laugh at Harry's inquisitive mind and then began his explanations.

"Well Harry, the apprenticeship that we have entered is not yet finalised. There are certain bonding rituals that although originate from the archaic times, could prove beneficial. I am not decided upon whether or not we should adhere to these rituals though it is a possibility if we are both willing."

Harry gave a thoughtful nod at this and continued to stare at his new-found mentor.

"As for the other elements of our arrangement, I will instruct you in the magical arts and will not hamper your magical development or knowledge in _any_ of the arts I will teach you. You will also be educated in the history of our world and your heritage. I will expect from you, dedication and the will to learn as I will impart upon you things I have kept to myself for many Centuries. Independent study in many common and obscure branches of magic is available to you through the use of the library and of course, if you require help, I will be there for you."

"Okay, I'm liking this so far," he responded to which Nicholas twitched a smile.

"There are no rules per say that you must obey here, only that you must not practise powerful magic without my supervision or permission as it can be very dangerous. As for your freedom, you can leave here whenever you want though I would advise firstly that you are trained a little first as it would be inadvisable to travel alone without means of defence and escape from attack or capture."

"Yeah, I agree. It's weird being able to go where I want without restriction, though I promise not to misuse it."

"Good, good. I will inform you that because you now know the grounds of my estate and I have given you permission, you will be able to return here at your will. Just for reference, we are now residing in an unplottable location in the Outer Hebrides. Now, as for Dumbledore, we will draft a letter informing him of your safety and also of your summer absence. I don't think it wise to mention my name or any clue as to our location as Dumbledore is a resourceful and relentless man and he can do things to alter our apprenticeship simply through wizarding law."

"Okay, I think that will work."

(Cut)

Within the hour, Nicholas talked Harry through the plans for the first two weeks of his apprenticeship. He was to review all his Hogwarts years so far in Charms, Transfiguration and Defence. Potions were grudgingly left out and it was settled that Harry would pursue that subject independently. Over the two weeks, Harry was also to be subject to Occlumency and after that, Nicholas said he would continue in his studies as well as learn apparating so as to make his travel easier.

The letter they were to send to Dumbledore was also drafted and Nicholas agreed to take it to an owl post office the next day and have it delivered with no magical traces leading back to them. The letter was simple and plain, yet they thought that it effectively conveyed their message and both were interested in Dumbledore's reaction.

(Cut)

Dumbledore was tired. The strain of Voldemort's mysterious movements, Minister Fudge's blind dependence and incompetent nature, the Order's unease with certain decisions and the role of managing Hogwarts activity were all piling up on him. He was seated behind his large oak desk, hunched with his eyes squeezed tightly against the pressure of being a leading figure in the wizarding world. He couldn't really blame other people entirely though, he admitted to himself that he encouraged the wizarding world's general dependency upon him as he didn't trust his world governing independent of his views.

Reaching into the elaborate folds of his purple robe, Dumbledore withdrew a small glass sphere. It was fashioned in such a delicate way that it looked as fragile as a water bubble, yet was so magically potent that it was as durable as diamond. Inside this small sphere, about the size of a tennis ball, swirled a cloud of some illusive magical substance. The mist inside the sphere was currently a light pink, deviating from the normal sky blue. _Harry was wondering close to the boundaries of the neighbourhood wards around Privet Drive, no doubt thinking about his escape from his relatives'. _

Dumbledore had found himself gazing at his self-crafted sphere more and more frequently since Harry had left Hogwarts. It was always a secret habit of his, but since his recent quarrel with his favourite student, Dumbledore found it was quick becoming an obsession. The sphere he was holding so lightly in his aged hands was made nearly fifteen years ago when he had personally left Harry on the doorstep of his relative's household. How he wished he could change things… so many things.

As his eyes unfocused in the pinkish mist, the cloud turned a violent red and flared angrily inside its containment, shattering the incredibly durable glass prison. The sphere, which shattered aggressively in Dumbledore's palm, startled him to attention as the implications of this magical occurrence descended upon him.

"Oh no…" he breathed, his eyes sunken as he registered the gravity of the situation.

_Harry had somehow renounced the protection of Privet Drive.

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Author's Note: Let me know what you think of this first chapter. I will here and now **PROMISE** to update at least every two weeks and hopefully have a minimum of 2,500 words per chapter. This is the re-thought story from my other fic (Druid Pathway) and will contain many of my original plans for that fic. **Please review**, it means a lot to me…


	2. The Mind Arts

Harry Potter and the Temptations of Independence

Author's Note: Second chapter. I have stuck to my minimum word count of 2,500 on this chapter also. Next chapter as promised will be up within the next two weeks. Thank you to all those who reviewed also, much appreciated!

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Chapter Two: The Mind Arts

Albus Dumbledore stood at the head of his Order, his eyes alive with a tired determination. He had explained that Harry had left Privet Drive either of his own free will, or had been forcibly taken, not really sure which was the worst scenario. The protection of Privet Drive was abolished in this act of renunciation and the key objective was that Harry Potter must be returned to him no matter the cost.

"We will organise three search parties. I want every possible route Harry could have taken to London, Hogwarts and The Burrow scoured for any sign of Harry. Hestia, I want you to take the London party and report as soon as possible. Take with you segment three of the Order. Minerva, I want you to lead the Hogwarts party as you know Scotland intimately; segment one will follow Minerva. Lastly, I want every possible route to The Burrow Harry may have taken to be searched thoroughly; Severus, I want you to lead this party with segment two. I myself will interrogate the Dursley family and we will reconvene at 04:00 hours; thank you ladies and gentlemen and good luck."

With that, the Order of the Phoenix dispersed in a frantic hurry with shouts and orders being hurled across the kitchen of 12 Grimmauld Place creating utter mayhem. Dumbledore sank down into his chair at the head of the table and took a savouring sip of the tea Molly had prepared for him a few minutes earlier. This current turn of events was disastrous and couldn't have come at a worse time; following closely his and Harry's recent dispute. He had informed Molly, as she was of the Order, of Harry's disappearance but was yet to tell the children.

Of course, Dumbledore had already tried to use the many tracking charms and crystals in effect upon Harry but they all seemed to have been dulled by some outside interference and this only added to the slowly growing mystery. Taking another sip of his scented tea, laced with a rejuvenating potion he had administered himself on the sly, he resigned himself to rising and apparating to 4 Privet Drive; the source of so much grief on Harry's part.

(Cut)

Harry awoke groggily to find the face of a smiling Nicholas Flammel peering down at him. Nicholas had cruelly ripped open the curtains to allow the unnaturally good weather to shine onto the peacefully shut eyes of Harry. He groaned a little as he tried to retain the warmth and comfort of his bed before Nicholas' reasonable voice sounded in his foggy ears.

"Rise and shine Harry. It's time for you to get up… after all, this is the first day in your new life, wouldn't want to miss it now would we?"

Harry groaned in response once more before getting up. Nicholas had somehow provided the guest bedroom which was now his with a small walk-in closet full of nice clothes that _fit_ him and also another door which led into a humble shower and bathroom. Harry was really touched at the effort Nicholas had gone through to ensure Harry's comfort and privacy, though he was severely curious as to how Nicholas obtained his wardrobe overnight.

Having taken a quick shower and washing his hair which up until then had been a careless jungle, Harry donned a pair of light shorts and a green t-shirt before slipping into some simple black trainers and sliding his wand into a slim pocket in his short-leg. Taking a quick peak in the (thank goodness, muggle) mirror, Harry was ready to face the day and anything Flammel could throw at him.

Walking into the kitchen, Harry seated himself at the table and said a good morning to Nicholas. He was provided with a newspaper and a cup of tea, along with a choice of foods including toast, cereal, porridge and the like. Sipping his tea, Harry read the headline of the Daily Prophet with interest.

_**Fudge Forms New Auror Policies: Too Little Too Late?**_

_Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge, 47, has in light of the return of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named introduced new auror policies. Due to the demanding specifications of the auror profession, no auror has been inducted into the Ministry in over three years. Fudge's answer to swelling the ranks of Ministry aurors is to lower the standards for acceptance into the academy. _

_Is this insuring the safety of the British wizarding community or simply a way to keep office? Announcements were made earlier this week that speak of plans for the first wave of new recruits though auror training was previously a time period of two years. Will our new generation of aurors be poorly-trained expendable pawns or protectors and enforcers of the law?_

_It remains to be seen whether or not Fudge's new schemes will ensure his position as Minister of Magic when these preparations are set into motion over a year after He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's announced return by Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter. _

Harry stopped reading there as he couldn't stand the bitter aggravation it roused in his stomach. Fudge was making lacklustre policies that would do little against Voldemort when war came; the British wizarding public needed a competent Minister who would make effective and efficient preparations for a state of war.

"What do you make of that there Harry?"

"I think we need a new Minster," he responded bluntly, his eyes still fixed on the plastic smile fixed on the face of the photo-Fudge. Flammel laughed a little at this.

"And just who would you put in his place eh? Remember Harry, although Fudge is a poor Minster, he is also not with Voldemort, and Dumbledore _has_ regained some measure of control over him once again. What would you do if you removed him from office, only to replace him with someone much worse?"

"Well that's obvious. Any Minister should be given a test under truth potion to ensure their loyalties and intentions. As for Fudge, he may not be sided with Voldemort, but he is hindering the war effort and going into war, you need strong leaders, not weak fools." His voice had taken on a cold, harsh tone that was foreign to Harry's tongue.

"That may be Harry, that just may be," commented Flammel, his neatly trimmed beard scratching as he rubbed it pensively over the rim of his mug.

"Nicholas, do I call you that by the way now that we're in an apprenticeship? I was just wondering how you got all these clothes for me so fast."

"Ah, Harry, an apprenticeship is a relationship of not only knowledge and power, but of trust and friendship. You may call me Nicholas if you wish, and as for the clothes, as my apprentice, I will provide you with the things you need, you need not fear otherwise."

"Thanks, I really do appreciate it all," he said sincerely, touched by Nicholas' statement.

"Actually Harry, there was something of great importance that I wished to discuss with you. I mentioned apprenticeship rituals last night that could be performed to seal our arrangement and to strengthen our bonds. Although archaic in some respects, they are nether the less effective. They require a great deal of trust on both parties involved, would you be willing to do this with me?" Flammel's voice never deviated from its sombre tone.

After a moment's pause, Harry responded. "Yes Nicholas, I think I would. You only live once right?" he laughed nervously.

"Yes, indeed Harry, indeed. Well, I must be off Harry. I will deliver our letter to Dumbledore today as I'm sure the man is having a heart attack with you gone. Feel free to explore the grounds if you wish as you will be exercising there for your time here; a strong body is a strong mind. I have to pick some things up whilst out also for our rituals, so I may be a little longer than expected. By the way, I have left a small book I suggest you start reading for my return as today we will begin your tutelage in the Mind Arts later today."

"Okay, that's fine, thanks. I'll see you later then," he responded, finishing his tea in an almighty gulp.

"Do you want anything picking up whilst I'm out Harry?"

"No thanks… actually, could you pick me up a copy of Quidditch Monthly?" he rushed, before blushing at his boldness. Flammel released a deep laugh at this and nodded his head in acceptance before apparating away with a barely distinguishable snap.

(Cut)

Nicholas Flammel was clad in a long flowing black cloak that clung to his form in a chilling manner. His cowl was firmly hiding his features as he walked into the ghost town. He had already posted Harry's letter to Dumbledore for him at a very large and busy owl post office and had also taken the time to set up a mail box there for him that would attract all owl mail there instead of to Harry (who at the moment could not be found). That way, he could surprise the young man who was growing on him so much by allowing safe correspondence with his friends.

Now however, Nicholas was journeying into a poor and dangerous magical town in Northern Europe. It was desolate and had a bad reputation for kidnapping and homicide, though it held little law enforcement due to the danger present and spread of already thin resources of the European Magical Confederation. Nicholas was here to visit a supplier of rare magical goods in order to obtain something for his and Harry's bonding ritual later.

Finding the wooden shack that was falling apart seemingly beyond repair, Nicholas entered _Peribew's Alchemy Supplies_; front for a doorway into the underground wizarding black market of transporting magical goods. The door creaked angrily as Nicholas entered and came face to face with a hunched man of no notable appearance (something common in the 'doormen' of the market: magically induced).

"Hello Peribew," he said, his voice obtaining a silky quality.

"Hello Magister, it has been a while since your last visit," commented the man in feeble tones, addressing Nicholas as he knew him to be.

"Yes it has, far too long. I want something that I'm not sure even _you_ could obtain," to which the man scoffed lightly. "I want a Khepesh ritual blade, dated at least 3000. Good condition, with original potency and runic enhancement. Can you do it?" Peribew laughed croakily at this, though he seemed rather impressed by the request.

(Cut)

The Order had been searching for hours. They had reconvened at 04:00 hours to report their findings. Hestia's group had found no signs of Harry travelling near London and likewise, Severus and Minerva had been equally unsuccessful. They had used some of the most advanced tracking charms known to wizard kind, but all had turned up nothing, wherever Harry was, he was well concealed.

"I too found nothing from the Dursleys," confessed Dumbledore. "I interrogated them thoroughly yet they knew nothing of Harry's disappearance. I did learn though that Harry was last seen by his relatives when he argued with his Uncle and stormed out of the house. Now, I did a magical scan of the area and found remnants of portkey signature which informs us of Harry's mode of transport, but not of how he acquired it, who he may have been with or his destination."

"Again, I'm sorry everyone," piped up Tonks who was on guard duty at the time of Harry's disappearance.

"Do not trouble yourself my dear, I have already ascertained that you were in a magically induced sleep and it is of no fault of your own, though puzzling it is."

Just as Dumbledore was about to announce plans for Harry's search to commence, a weather-worn barn owl swooped into the kitchen through the owl-port (a window that connects owls from outside to inside without compromising the charms in place) in the heights of the kitchen. It swooped with practised ease onto the large table the Order was positioned around with a letter tied to its leg addressed, in Harry's recognisable script, to _Dumbledore_. Reaching out, Dumbledore untied the letter and watched as the owl left, obviously not waiting for a response. Albus opened the letter, not expecting the contents as they were explained to him.

_Dumbledore,_

_I am safe. I have left Privet Drive to receive an adequate education during the summer. I have been told against my opinion to inform you that I have entered an apprenticeship. Whether or not I return to Hogwarts this year, is as of yet undecided. I decided that although you might think that Privet Drive is the best place for me, you never had to spend 10 years living in a cupboard. _

_My mentor also tells me that since Sirius, my magical guardian, is no longer with us, you can legally do nothing about my decision as I have the right to make my own choice of guardian. Because of my apprenticeship, it is not needed for me to register a magical guardian and so I am out of reach of the Ministry. _

_I will let you know whether or not I will be returning to Hogwarts later on in the summer and I shall not be telling you who my new mentor is because frankly I don't trust you. Don't bother looking for me, I'm safe and you will not be able to find me here. _

_The weather is great!_

_Harry._

After reading Harry's letter, he let it drop to the desk in shock. He was _not_ expecting that. Everything Harry had stated about the legality of his decision was correct and he could really do nothing. However, Dumbledore was still firm of purpose in that Harry had to be brought back as he could not let him slip out of control; he needed Harry as he was, not what alone or with this mentor, he will become.

The next decision Dumbledore made was one of the most misjudged assumptions he would ever make in his life. He took Harry's statement about the weather as Harry gloating, but also took it as meaning Harry was abroad and so thought he could elude the Order. His plans for Harry's search now revolved around foreign possibilities and never once did the name Nicholas Flammel, friend and rival, cross his mind.

(Cut)

Harry, with occlumency book under arm, ventured out into the grounds of Willow-Wight Cottage. The small garden outside of the cottage was a hive of nature in the sparkling radiance of the Sun and Harry breathed deeply, finally enjoying himself since the death of his godfather. This definitely seemed to be helping him come to terms with his godfather's death; good company and refreshing freedom.

By the light of day, Harry could finally see the extent of the estate and it was awe-inspiring as the lands stretched on for miles. To the right on the land a small distance from Willow-Wight Cottage, a strange sight greeted Harry; arranged at varying heights from the ground, wooden stumps stood in a circular arrangement. He would have to ask Nicholas about that later. Moving on, there was a respectably sized pond to the left of the cottage, about a five minute walk away, where Harry decided to read in the shade of a huge Oak whose roots were dipping into the pond along the slightly slanted bank. With his back to the tree, Harry was able to let his feet (without trainers) sink into the cool shaded water of this side of the pond. There was just something relaxing about the tree, the glistening pond and the buzzing natural life all around him.

Opening the book, Harry began to read about the theory of occlumency and found he was enjoying the theory of the art as it gave a history of the development of the Mind Arts and the possibilities each branch of the Mind Arts offered. The subject was rather captivating and Harry could easily see how Snape perverted the art through his tainted methods.

"Interesting Harry?" sounded the voice of Nicholas, making Harry jump as he hadn't heard the older wizard approach. Catching his breath a little as his heart slowed, Nicholas took a seat by the lake. Nicholas had forsaken his black cloak that he had worn earlier in favour of a light blue cotton robe which kept him cool.

Harry was instructed to take a seat across from Nicholas in the shade of the large Oak. Both seated themselves cross-legged as Nicholas began to speak.

"Okay Harry, I am going to begin your lessons in occlumency. Although legilimency is equally important in your exploration of the Mind Arts, we will firstly establish the foundations of your defences. Now, look into my eyes and try your hardest to block out any distractions."

Harry gazed determinedly into Nicholas' eyes and found himself noticing just how old they really looked. He wasn't sure it was entirely the prolonged age of the man, but they held an ancient, worn quality which Harry couldn't seem to place. As he focused on Nicholas' eyes however, the sounds of the surrounding wildlife, the sound of water rippling and trees rustling in the breeze and even the sound of his own breathing assaulted his senses. He strived hard to block them out, and eventually, with the help of Nicholas' unwavering eyes, Harry found the world around him dissolving.

* * *

Author's Note: Let me know what you think please as it really does mean a lot! In response to first chapter reviews: I think that this story will grow into something better than my Druid Pathway story as it involves many of my original ideas, just written in a way which I feel I can express them more legitimately (plus this story offers more character interactions). Also, I may one day still continue with my other fic. The occlumency in this fic, along with the eyes and everything will remain the same, only Harry will be taught it in a different manner. - PLEASE REVIEW! 


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